The New York Jets were established as the New York Titans in 1960. Although the Giants had been embedded in New York since 1925, the Jets hoped they could gain a foothold in the city.
Fast-forward 54 years later and the Jets are a functioning (financially) NFL franchise. However, their fan base is still a challenged bunch. In a Facebook Fandom Map released Friday, the Jets are identified as the NFL's only team without a plurality in any U.S. county.
The Jets really cannot win anywhere, can they?
On the other hand, the Dallas Cowboys own the plurality of counties across the country. Along with massive reach at home in Texas and neighboring New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas, the Cowboys have noticeable reach in Virginia, Nevada, Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina, Idaho and Oregon, as well as pockets in other states.
The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks boast their bright green in the Northwest, while the runner-up Broncos spill orange in the Mountain West. The Vikings, Chiefs, 49ers, Saints, Patriots, Panthers and Steelers also display heavy allegiances in multiple states. The Packers have a clear base in Wisconsin, but green can found scattered across the U.S.
The Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Texas, Rams, Eagles Chargers and Raiders obviously show they are not the most popular teams in their home states (by county). The Bengals and Browns are just about split in Ohio, although the Bengals extend into Kentucky.
The Raiders may present the NFL's most enigmatic fan situation. The Raiders show just one plurality in their current Bay Area home, Modoc County in the northwest corner of California. The majority of the Raiders' pluralities are located in the Los Angeles area, the team's former home. This can only expand buzz of a potential Raiders relocation back to Los Angeles.
The Facebook Fandom Map 2014 was generated by the amount of "Likes" each NFL franchise has on their official Facebook page. For example, in no county did the Jets' Facebook page have a plurality in likes.
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